Grant Request Now Before San Diego Board of Supervisors for Village Preferred Shopper Card Program

The following prepared remarks were given by Julie Baker, acting president of the Carlsbad VIP, before the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Monday morning, June 9. The VIP is requesting $35,000 through the County Enhancement Grant Program to support a discount shopper card initiative for businesses within the Village of Carlsbad.

Good morning, Chairman Cox and members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

My name is Julie Baker, and I come before you today representing the members of the Carlsbad Village Improvement Partnership.

Our newly created organization is a first-time applicant under this process, and what we have proposed is a program that will provide direct and immediate economic stimulus to businesses located in the Village of Carlsbad.

With concerns about where the economy is headed, The Carlsbad Village Preferred Shopper Program will allow participating businesses to provide significant point of purchase discounts to patrons who use the preferred shopper card.

We fully anticipate that, with funding from the County, at least fifty percent of qualified businesses will participate.

The program is simple. Guests at each of Carlsbad’s thirty-seven hotels will receive a card that will entitle them to a minimum of fifteen percent savings on items purchased.

Participating merchants will have a window decal that will identify their place of business as one that honors the card.

You may be asking, “Why should we fund this program?”

My answer is simple: Doing so creates added commerce that not only sustains jobs, but provides for job growth in our area, as well.

Also, people with jobs provide the buying power that is so essential to a healthy County economy, which we all support.

In short, we know that creating and keeping jobs is good for all of us, and through this Shopper Program, we believe that increased revenue from the point of purchase is the key to maintaining a healthy community.

Your support will provide our young organization with the very first program that will give us the traction needed to shore up funding from the City of Carlsbad and eventually, from the very merchants we’re advocating for.

Therefore, whatever financial assistance you can provide the Carlsbad VIP in this first year request for funding will be greatly appreciated by local property and business owners as well as residents in the Village.

On behalf of the Carlsbad Village Improvement Partnership, thank you.

Julie Baker, at the podium, presents the Village Shopper Card program to the San Diego County Board of Supevisors